Apparatus for conveying glass sheets through adjacent bending and tempering stations

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for curving a sheet of glass including a furnace having an elongated gas support bed for supporting sheets of glass thereover, conveying means for moving a sheet from the first end to the second end of the bed, a bending station disposed adjacent the second end of the bed and including a sheet supporting surface for supporting a sheet of glass on gases thereover, a shuttle means for moving a sheet of glass from the second end of the bed to the gas supporting surface in the bending station, a blasthead adjacent the bending station for impinging fluid against opposite sides of the sheet for cooling thereof, oscillating means in the blasthead for oscillating a sheet therein, and unitary frame means for lifting a sheet from the gas supporting surface in the bending station for bending the sheet and for thereafter moving the sheet into the blasthead while at the same time removing a sheet from the oscillating means in the blasthead to remove the sheet from the blasthead. The independently novel features of the conveying assembly are the shuttle means and its specific structure for moving a sheet of glass from the furnace to the bending station, the single unitary frame means for supporting a sheet in the bending station and moving it into the blasthead while simultaneously removing a sheet from the blasthead, the unique support of the forming surface means in the bending station against which a sheet is pressed for curving thereof, and an oscillating means in the blasthead for removing a sheet from the frame means and oscillating the sheet in the blasthead while it is being cooled.

United States Patent 1 1 McMaster 1 Jan. 30, 1973 [54] APPARATUS FORCONVEYING GLASS SHEETS THROUGH ADJACENT BENDING AND TEMPERING STATIONS[75] Inventor:

Ohio

Guardian Industries C0rp., Detroit, Mich.

[22] Filed: April 12, 1971 [21] Appl. No: 133,092

[73] Assignee:

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 691,326, Dec. 18,1967, Pat. No.

Primary Examiner-Arthur D. Kellogg Att0rneyMcGlynn, Reising, Milton &Ethington Harold A. McMaster, Woodville, F

[57] ABSTRACT [A d apparatus for curving a sheet of glass including ajfurnace having an elongated gas support bed for suplporting sheets ofglass thereover, conveying means for ,moving a sheet from the first endto the second end of the bed, a bending station disposed' adjacent the?second end of the bed and including a sheet supportjing surface forsupporting a sheet of glass on gases thereover, a shuttle means formoving a sheet of glass from the second end of the bed to the gassupporting 'surface in the bending station, a blasthead adjacent thebending station for impinging fluid against op- 'posite sides of thesheet for cooling thereof, oscillating "means in the blasthead foroscillating a sheet therein,

and unitary frame means for lifting a sheet from the ,gas supportingsurface in the bending station for bend- -ing the sheet and forthereafter moving the sheet into the blasthead while at the same timeremoving a sheet from the oscillating means in the blasthead to removethe sheet from the blasthead. The independently novel features of theconveying assembly are the shuttle means and its specific structure formoving a sheet of glass from the furnace to the bending station, thesingle unitary frame means for supporting a sheet in the bending stationand moving it into the blasthead while simultaneously removing a sheetfrom the blasthead,

17 Claims, 25 Drawing Figures V PATENTEUJAHO 191s 3.713. 799

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SHEET 11 0F 12 ATTORNEY APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING GLASS SHEETS THROUGHADJACENT BENDING AND TEMPERING STATIONS This application is a divisionalof U.S. application Ser. No. 691,326 filed Dec. 18, 1967, now U.S. Pat.3,607,200.

This invention relates to apparatus for curving and tempering a sheet ofglass and particularly to a means for conveying a sheet through theapparatus.

In the prior art, the most predominately utilized apparatus to curve orbend a sheet of glass is one utilizing a pair of complimentary moldsurfaces wherein a sheet of glass is pressed between two surfaces. Thedisadvantages of such an apparatus are well known in the art, as forexample, the marring or pitting of the sur faces of the sheet of glassas it is being pressed between the mold surfaces and/or the difficultiesin maintaining the necessary shape in the sheet as it is inserted andremoved from between the mold surfaces.

In some apparatuses, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,294,516,a frame presses a sheet of glass against a mold surface. The problemwith such devices is that after the sheet is curved or bent it coolssufficiently that a proper tempering is not attained when it is movedinto an adjacent cooling atmosphere.

The instant invention is, therefore, directed to a novel apparatus forcurving or bending a sheet of glass and thereafter tempering the sheetof glass so that successive sheets of glass are within tolerancesheretofore unobtainable, i.e., successive sheets of glass aresubstantially equal or the same in shape. The apparatus includes afurnace through which sheets of glass are moved while supported on gasover a bed and heated. A bending station is disposed adjacent the secondor output end of the furnace. The bending station has a gaseous supportsurface for supporting sheets of glass thereover and a forming surfacemeans 'is disposed thereabove. Adjacent the bending station, a blastheadis disposed for receiving and cooling sheets of glass. This inventioninvolves a combination of novel features which cooperate or coact toprovide sheets of glass having tolerances heretofore unobtainable.Additionally, each of these respective features are independently novel.The first such feature is a shuttle means disposed adjacent the secondend of the furnace for moving a sheet of glass from the second end ofthe furnace to and over the gas support surface in the bending station.Another novel feature is the utilization of a unitary frame means whichlifts a sheet of glass from the gas support surface in the bendingstation and presses it against the forming surface means for bending thesheet and thereafter moves the sheet into the blasthead while at thesame time removes a sheet of glass from the blasthead. An additionalnovel feature is an oscillating mechanism or means utilized in theblasthead for removing a sheet of glass from the frame means as it ismoved into the blasthead from the bending station and for oscillatingthe sheet until the unitary frame means removes the sheet therefrom toremove the sheet from the blasthead. More specifically, the oscillatingmechanism engages a sheet for supporting the sheet while oscillating andis, in addition, retractable to allow movement of the frame means intoand out of the blasthead. Another novel feature is the support of theforming surface means on the support structure through adjustment meansso that the position of the forming surface means may be adjusted in anyposition and more specifically wherein the adjustment means is remotelydisposed from the forming surface means to allow the position thereof tobe adjusted from a position remote from the heat immediately adjacentthe forming surface means. As alluded to above, these various featuresalso coact in combination to provide a novel apparatus obtaining resultsnot heretofore obtainable with prior art apparatuses.

The specific conveying means for moving respective sheets of glassthrough the furnace while the sheets are heated is also a novel featurebut is the invention of another and is set forth is copendingapplication Ser. No. 692,807 filed 12-22-67 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,574,588in the name of Norman C. Nitschke and assigned to the assignee of theinstant invention.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will bereadily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by referenceto the following detailed description when considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a complete apparatus for curvingand tempering a sheet of glass;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view disclosing the shuttle means formoving a sheet of glass from the bed within the furnace to the adjacentbending station;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one side of the shuttle meansand showing the sheet engaging members thereof in the sheet engagingposition in full lines and in the retracted position in phantom;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view takensubstantially along line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view taken substantially along line 55 of FIG. 4',

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view takensubstantially along line 66 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially alongline 7 7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8-is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially alongline 8-8 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary elevated view disclosing the bendingstation;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view takensubstantially along line 10l0 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line l1ll ofFIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken substantially along line1212 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line 13-l3of FIG. 12 and showing the unitary frame means;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view disclosing theoscillating mechanism in the blasthead as well as the unitary framemeans;

FIGS. 15 and 15a are enlarged views taken substantially along line l5--15 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a cross sectional view taken along line 16-16 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line 17l7 ofFIG. 15;

FIG. 18 is a view taken substantially along line 18- 18 ofFIG.15a;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view takensubstantially along line 19-19 of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a view of reduced scale taken substantially along line 20-20of FIGS. 15 and 15a;

FIG. 21 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view takensubstantially along line 21-21 of FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially alongline 22-22 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 23 is a fragmentary view taken substantially along line 23-23 ofFIG. 22; and

FIG. 24 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view takensubstantially along line 24-24 of FIG. 22.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals indicate like orcorresponding parts throughout the severalv views, an apparatus forbending a sheet of glass is generally shown at 30 in FIG. 1.

The apparatus 30 includes a furnace generally indicated at 31, a bendingstation generally indicated at 32, and a blasthead generally indicatedat 33.

The furnace 31 includes an elongated gas support bed 34 for supportingsheets of glass on a film of gas thereover, such as indicated at 35 inFIG. 2. The gas support bed 34 has a first end 36 extending from a firstend of the furnace to provide a loading station.

A conveying means generally indicated at 37 moves a sheet of glass alongthe bed 34 from the first end 36 to a second end 38.

The bending station 32 is disposed adjacent the second end 38 of thesupport bed 34 and includes a glass sheet supporting surface forsupporting a sheet on a film of gas thereover. In the preferredembodiment, the glass sheet supporting surface has apertures thereinthrough which gases flow to support a sheet of glass on the film ofgases over the sheet supporting surface. A forming surface means or mold39 is disposed above the support surface in the bending station 32 forbending a sheet as the sheet is pressed thereagainst.

A shuttle means, which is generally shown at 40 in FIG. 2, moves a sheetof glass from the second end 38 of the bed 34 to and over the sheetsupporting surface in the bending station 32.

A unitary frame means which is generally indicated at 41, lifts a sheetof glass from the sheet supporting surface in the bending station topress the sheet against the forming surface means 39 for bending thesheet and thereafter moves the sheet laterally or generally horizontallyinto the blasthead. Instead of utilizing the forming surface means 39,the frame means 41 may merely support a sheet to allow the sheet to sagunder the force of gravity to the desired curvature and then movehorizontally into the blasthead. As will become more clear hereinafterthe unitary frame means 41 also includes a section which removes a sheetfrom the blasthead simultaneously with the movement of a sheet from thebending station to the blasthead. The sheet moved out of the blastheadis received by the conveyor which is generally indicated at 42 in FIG.1.

There is also included an oscillating means, which is generallyindicated at 43 in FIGS. 14 and 22, disposed in the blasthead forremoving a sheet from the frame means 41 and for oscillating the sheetin the blasthead.

In the generally overall operation of the apparatus 30, hot gases aresupplied through the bed 34 to provide a film or blanket of hot gasesover the surface of bed 34. The furnace 31 also includes an upper modulesystem 44 for supplying hot gases to the upper surfaces of the sheets asthey move through the furnace. A sheet of glass is disposed on the bed34 at the loading station 36.The conveying means 37 moves the sheet ofglass along the gas support bed 34 toward the second end 38. During suchmovement the sheet of glass is being heated to a temperature to allow itto be deformed or bent. When the sheet of glass reaches the second end38 of the bed 34, the shuttle means 40 will move the sheet of glass fromthe second end 38 of the furnace 31 to the bending station 32.Thereafter the frame means 41 will lift the sheet of glass upwardly toallow the sheet to deform or sag under the force of gravity or to pressthe sheet against the forming surface means 39 for bending the sheet. Inthe preferred embodiment, a vacuum is applied to the forming surfacemeans 39 to pull the sheet into conformance with the surface thereof. Anappropriate means may be utilized to apply a vacuum to passages in theforming surface means 39. After the sheet has been curved or bent, theframe means 41 moves laterally or horizontally to move the sheet intothe blasthead 33 where it is removed from the frame means 41 by theoscillating means 43, the oscillating means 43 in turn oscillates thesheet in the blasthead while it is being cooled, annealed or tempered.As will be more clear hereinafter the frame means 41 also includes asection which removes a sheet from the oscillating means 43 and movesthe sheet out of the blasthead to the conveyor 42.

The furnace also includes motor-blower combinations generally indicatedat 45 for moving hot gases through the furnace to impinge upon theopposite surfaces of sheets of glass moving therethrough.

With this general background each of the features will now be describedin detail.

CONVEYING MEANS FOR MOVING SHEETS OF GLASS THROUGH THE FURNACE This is aspecific description of the conveying means generally indicated at 37 inFIGS. 1 and 2.

The foremost problem associated with any conveying means utilized tomove sheets of glass through a furnace where the sheets are being heatedto a very high I temperature is the effect of that high temperature uponthe conveying means. Such high temperatures cause elongation andcontraction of the conveying means and causes very rapid wear andfrequent breakdown of the conveying means. These problems are greatlyminimized by the conveying means 37.

The furnace 31 includes a support structure comprising the beams 46. Theupright beams 46 are spaced a short distance from the side walls of thefurnace 31. The furnace 31 has an elongated opening 47 in each sidethereof and the openings are co-extensive with the bed 38. The furnace31 also includes heating means preferably comprising gas burnersdisposed in the furnace for heating the hot gases therein to in turnheat the glass sheets moving over the bed 34.

The conveying means 37 includes sheet engaging means comprising aplurality of pusher bars 48 which extend into the furnace 31 through theopening 47 for moving sheets of glass along the bed 34. The conveyingmeans 37 also includes drive means comprising a chain 49 disposedexteriorly of the furnace and connected to the pusher bars 48 for movingthe latter along the furnace without being exposed to the heat withinthe furnace. In other words, each pusher bar extends through the furnacewith its ends extending through the openings 47 on each side of thefurnace. Thus, the ends of the pusher bars 48 are disposed exteriorly ofthe furnace. As best shown in FIG. 2, there is also included meanscomprising the tabs 50 projecting from each pusher bar to limit movementof a sheet along the longitudinal axis of each pusher bar.

As best illustrated in FIG. 1, each chain 49 is an endless loop whichextends between the ends of the furnace adjacent the openings 47 andthereafter extends back to the first end to complete the endless loop.

There is also included means comprising a pair of first and secondsprockets 51 and 52 on each side of the furnace and spaced from thesecond end of the furnace for disengaging each pusher bar 48 from asheet of glass as the sheet of glass approaches a first station at saidsecond end of said furnace, such first station being illustrated in FIG.2 (the sprockets 51 and 52 being shown only on one side of FIG. 2). Thesprockets 51 and 52 are positioned relative to one another so that thechains 49 move under the respective first sprockets 51 and then upwardand over the respective second sprockets 52, as best illustrated in FIG.1.

The conveying means 37 also include a plurality o sprockets 53 attachedto the furnace for guiding the chains 49 along the openings 47 to thesecond end of the furnace and then upward to the top of the furnace andthen along the top of the furnace to the first end of the furnace andthen downward to complete the endless loop. As alluded to hereinbeforethe bed 34' extends from the first end of the furnace to provide aloading station for positioning sheets of glass to be conveyed throughthe furnace by the pusher bars 48.

An important aspect of the apparatus is the fact that the upper surfaceof the bed 34 is disposed at an angle with respect to a horizontal planeso that the respective sheets of glass are pushed uphill, so to speak,against the force of gravity. In other words, the bed slants upwardly avery slight amount from the loading station to the other end 38. Thisdisposition of the bed provides positive control of each sheet of glass.Hence, each sheet of glass will remain against the rear pusher bar whenthe forward or front pusher bar moves upwardly over the sprockets 51 and52.

There is also included a tensioning means comprising the cylinder-pistonarrangement 54 and the sprocket 55 associated with each chain 49 formaintaining a predetermined tension on the chains 49. The sprockets 55are rotatably connected to the piston of the respective cylinder-pistonarrangements 54.

The sprockets 51 and 52 disengage the pusher bars 7 SHUTTLE MEANS Theshuttle means 40 is a conveying assembly for moving a sheet of glassbetween spaced first and second stations. As illustrated, the firststation is at the end 38 of the bed 34 in the furnace and the secondstation is in the bending station 32. As alludedto hereinbefore, the

beams 46 provide a support structure and the bed 34 is a means forsupporting the sheet. The shuttle means 40 is operatively connected tothe support structure and is movable back and forth between first andsecond stations while at the same time is movable between a sheetengaging position, as illustrated in full lines of FIG. 2, and aretracted non-sheet engaging position, as illustrated in phantom in FIG.2.

The shuttle means 40 includes a pair of opposed sheet engaging members56. Each sheet engaging member 56 includes a plurality of interconnectedelements forming a four sided frame with pad means 57 attached to theside opposite the other frame for engaging the edge of a sheet to bemoved thereby.

There is also included an actuation means generally indicated at 58 inFIGS. 2 through 7 for moving the sheet engaging members 56 back andforth between the first and second stations. In addition, there is alsoincluded linkage means generally indicated at 59 in FIGS. 2 and 3 whichoperatively interconnects the sheet engaging members 56 and theactuation means 58 for controlling the movement of the members 56 sothat the members 56 move away from one another in moving to theretracted position and move toward one another in moving to the sheetengaging position. The linkage means 59 includes means generallyindicated at 60 in FIG. 3 for maintaining the sheet engaging members 56in the sheet engaging position shown in full lines in FIG. 2 as themembers 56 are moved from the first station to the second station, i.e.,moved from the furnace to the bending station 32. A retract means isgenerally indicated at 61 for moving the sheet engaging members 56 tothe retracted position shown in phantom in FIG. 2 as the members 56 aremoved from the second station back to the first station, i.e., from thebending station back to the first station in the furnace.

At the beginning of a cycle the sheet engaging members 56 are in theretracted position illustrated in phantom in, FIG. 2 and a conveyingmeans comprising a pusher bar 48 moves a sheet into position between thesheet engaging members 56. A means comprising a roller 62 secured toeach member 56 is included to contact a pusher bar as illustrated inFIG. 3 for moving the members 56 from the retracted position to thesheet engaging position as the sheet is moved between the members 56. Inother words, as a pusher bar 48 moves a sheet of glass 35 into the spacebetween the sheet engaging members 56, the rollers 62 engage the pusherbar 48 so that the pusher bar 48 moves the sheet engaging members 56toward the sheet engaging position. It will be noted that during thismovement, the velocity of the members 56 in a direction along thefurnace is equal to the velocity of the engaging pushing bar 48 alongthe furnace; thus, the members move at the same velocity as the sheet tobe engaged.

The movement of the sheet engaging members 56 from the retractedposition to the sheet engaging position is controlled by the linkagemeans 59. The linkage means 59 includes a plurality of links 63pivotally interconnecting the sheet engaging members 56 and theactuation means 58 so that the members 56 move with a sheet of glass inthe direction the sheet of glass isbeing moved by the pusher bar 48 andsimultaneously move in a direction toward one another, these directionsbeing transverse to one another. In other words, when a pusher bar 48contacts the rollers 62, the members 56 move longitudinally of thefurnace and also move transversely of the furnace from the retractedposition illustrated in phantom in FIG. 2 to the sheet engaging positionillustrated in full lines in FIG. 2. It is to be noted that the linkagemeans 59 is disposed to coact between the actuation means 58 and themember 56 so that the members 56, in moving toward one another to engagea sheet, move toward one another rapidly at first and then slowly asthey approach a sheet. In other words, the velocity of the outward endsof the links 63 in a direction transverse to the bed is greater when thelinks 63 first begin to pivot from the retracted or inclined positionthan when the links approach the sheet engaging or extended position.

The actuation means 58 includes an elongated rail 64 associated witheach of the sheet engaging members 56, i.e., a rail 64 disposed alongeach side of the furnace. Each rail 64is operatively connected to thesupport structure by roller assemblies 65 and 66 for longitudinalmovement relative thereto as best illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. It willbe noted that each rail 64 is a substantially C-shaped beam with therollers 65 disposed therein to prevent lateral movement and the rollers66 disposed therein to prevent vertical movement. A spaced pair of thelinks 63 interconnect 'each rail 64 and its associated sheet engagingmember 56. The links 63 of each pair are pivotally connected at a firstend 67 to one of the sheet engaging members 56 and are pivotallyconnected at a second end 68 to the associated rail 64. The links 63 ofeach pair are substantially parallel to one another in all positions.

The means 60 for maintaining the members 56 in the sheet engagingposition includes an elbow link comprising first and second sections 69and 70 operatively interconnecting each member 56 and its associatedrail 64. The first section 69 of each elbow link is pivotally connectedto a rail 64 by a stud 71. The second section 70 of each elbow link ispivotally connected to the associated member 56 as indicated at 67. Thefirst and second sections 69 and 70 are pivotally connected togetherthrough a pin 72 to pivot relative to one another as the members 56 aremoved between the sheet engaging position and the retracted position.There is also included stop means 73 to limit relative pivotal movementbetween the first and second sections 69 and 70 for limiting pivotalmovement of the links 63 relative to the rail 64 in the sheet engagingposition. In other words, the first and second sections 69 and 70 ofeach elbow link pivotrelative to one another between a cocked positionas illustrated in phantom in FIG. 3 and a stop position as illustratedin full lines in FIG. 3. In the cocked position the members 56 are inthe retracted position and the elbow link sections 69 and 70 cross oneanother while each pair of links 63 are disposed at an acute anglerelative to the rails 64 and extend from the rails 64 in a directiongenerally oppositeto the direction of movement of the sheet of glass..In the stop position, the stop means 73 limit relative pivotal movementbetween the sections 69 and 70 of the elbow links and the links 63 aresubstantially perpendicular to the rails 64 in this position asillustrated in full lines in FIG. 3. There is also included a biasingmeans comprising the spring 74 for maintaining each elbow link in thecocked and stop positions respectively. More specifically, a supportplate 75 is secured in position on the rails 64 by the stud 71 and thebolt 76 and includes an upwardly extending projection 77 to which oneend of the spring 74 is attached. The other end of the spring 74 issecured to the pin 72. As is evident from viewing FIG. 3, when in thestop position the spring 74 urges the stop means 73 into engagement withthe respective sides of the sections 69 and 70 to prevent furtherrelative pivotal movement therebetween; thus, the spring 74 maintainsthe elbow link in the stop position. When the members move to theretracted or cocked position shown in phantom in FIG. 3, the spring 74has moved overcenter and biases the elbow link sections 69 and70 intothe cocked position.

When the elbow links are in the stop position they limit further forwardmovement of the sheet engaging members 56. However, the first section 69of each elbow link is pivotally connected to the associated rail 64through a lost motion connection provided by the slot 78 for allowinglimited movement of the members 56 beyond the sheet engaging positionwhen the elbow links are in the stop position. In other words, should apusher bar 48 continue to push the sheet engaging members 56 after theyhave reached the sheet engaging position, which might occur if theshuttle means is not moved out of the furnace at the proper time, thelost motion connection provided by the slot 78 will allow slightadditional forward movement'against the biasing action of the springs 74to prevent damage to the components.

The first sections 69 of each elbow link include a distal'end 79 whichextends beyond the, pivotal connection 71' thereof to the associatedrail 64. The retract means 61 is disposed to coact with the distal ends79 for moving the elbow links to the cocked position as the rails 64move from the second station back to the first station.

More specifically the retract means 61 includes a projection taking theform of a roller 80 supported by a shaft 81 extending downwardly fromeach of the distal ends of the elbow links. The retract means 61 alsoincludes a gate 82 and an associated stop 83 disposed adjacent eachrail. Each gate 82 is pivotally connected by a shaft 84 to the supportstructure for abutting its associated stop 83. The gates 82 have aspring means (not shown) associated therewith so that each gate isbiased against its associated stop 83. Each gate 82 is disposed so thatthe roller 80 of the associated elbow link engages and pivots the gate82 from its stop 83 to allow the roller 80 to move past the gate as themembers 56 are moving to the second station, i.e., as the members 56 aremoving from the furnace to the bending station 32. The gates 82 are alsopositioned so that each roller 80 engages a gate 82 and forces theassociated elbow link to the cocked position for moving the members 56to the retracted position as the members 56 are moving back to the firststation, i.e., from the bending station back to the end 38 of the bed34. A plate 85 is secured to the support structure adjacent each rail64. Plates 85 are vertical and substantially parallel to the rails 64and are disposed adjacent the gates 82 so that the rollers 80 move alongthe plates 85 as the members 56 move back to the first station which isillustrated in FIG. 2. Each plate 85 is of a length so that theprojections, i.e., the

rollers 80, are free to move therepast as the members 56 are moved tothe sheet engaging position while at the first station.

Now to more specifically describe the actuation means 58. There isincluded a rack 86 secured to each rail 64. A drive gear 87 operativelyengages each rack. It will be noted that the drive gear 87 on one sideof the furnace operatively engages the associated rack 86 through anidler gear 88 so that the drive gears 87 may rotate in the samedirection to move the rail 64 in unison. There is also included means,best illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, for rotating the drive gears 87 tomove the rails 64 which in turn move the members 56 back and forthbetween the first and second stations.

More specifically, the means for rotating the drive gears 87 includes apair of parallel shafts 89 which are rotatably supported on the supportstructure by the brackets 90. Each shaft 89 supports one of the drivegears 87 adjacent the first end thereof. An input sprocket 91 is securedto each shaft 89 adjacent the second or upper end thereof. An endlessloop chain means 92, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, is entrained or disposedin driving engagement with the input sprockets 91. There is alsoincluded a crank 93 rotated by a shaft 94. The shaft 94 in turn beingrotated by a gear 95 and the gear 95 is rotated by a gear 96, the gear96 being rotated by a motor 97 through the gear box 98. An arm 99 isattached to the chain means 92 at one end 100 and is attached to thecrank 93 at the other end 101. The gears 95 and 96 and the motor 97comprise a means for selectively rotating the crank 93 whereby themembers 56 are moved back and forth between the first and secondpositions. In other words, when the members 56 are at one station, thecrank 93 is in line with an axis extending between the sprockets 91 andextending away therefrom and, when the members 56 are at the otherstation, the crank 93 extends toward the sprockets 91 and is in linetherewith. Rotary movement of the crank 93 oscillates the loop chainmeans 92 back and forth to move the rails 64 back and forth which inturn moves the members 56 back and forth between the first and secondstations. As shown, the crank 93 is in an intermediate rotary position.It is to be noted, that the preferred actuation means includes a crankwhich produces a velocity of movement of the shuttle means which is asinusodal function, i.e., approximates a sine curve when plotted. Thus,the velocity is low at first, then increases to a maximum, and thendecreases to a low as the movement ends.

To summarize the operation of the shuttle means 40, a sheet of glass 35is moved between the sheet engaging members 56 by a pusher bar 48. Thepusher bar 48 contacts the rollers 62 to move the members 56 from theretracted position shown'in phantom in FIGS. 2 and 3 to the sheetengaging position shown in full lines in FIGS. 2 and 3. During thismovement the links 63 are moved from the rearwardly inclined orangulated position to the perpendicular position illustrated in fulllines. The movement of the links 63, to maintain the members 56 in thesheet engaging position, is limited by the elbow links comprising thefirst and second sections 69 and 70. As the sheet engaging members 56reach the sheet engaging position, the pusher bar 48 moves upward due tothe fact that the chains 49 move upward over the sprockets 52; thus, thepusher bar 48 moves over the shuttle means 40. Once the sheet engagingmembers 56 are in the sheet engaging position illustrated in full linesin FIG. 2, a sensing device, such as a microswitch, senses the sheetengaging position to actuate the motor 97 to rotate the crank 93 whichin turn rotates the shafts 89 to move the rails 64 to the right asillustrated in FIG. 2 to move the sheet from the first station to thesecond station, i.e., from the furnace to the bending station 32. Aswill be described hereinafter a frame means moves the sheet verticallyupwardly in the bending station 32 and thereafter the motor 97 isactuated to move the rails 64 back toward the first station or to theleft as illustrated in FIGS. 2 1

and 3. During this movement to the right, the rollers pivot the gates 82and move therepast; however, during the return movement the rollers 80engage the gates 82 to force the elbow links to the cocked positionillustrated in phantom, which moves the sheet engaging members 56 to theretracted position illustrated in phantom in FIGS. 2 and 3. Once theshuttle means 40 is back at the first station, the sheet engagingmembers 56 are in the retracted position illustrated in phantom in FIGS.2 and 3 and ready to receive another sheet of glass to be transferredfrom the furnace to the bending station 32. It is to be understood, thatthe shuttle means may be positioned at various positions along thesecond end of the bed without moving the sprockets 51 and 52 since asensing means moves the shuttle means as soon as it reaches the sheetengaging position; hence, the pusher bars 48 need not be lifted sincethe shuttle means moves out of the furnace. Theprimary reason forlifting the pusher bars 48 is to allow the shuttle means to move backinto the furnace after having moved a sheet to the bending station.

FRAME MEANS FOR BENDING THE SHEET OF GLASS, MOVING THE SHEET INTO THEBLASTHEAD AND MOVING THE SHEET OUT OF THE BLASTHEAD This portion of thedescription relates to the frame means generally shown at 41 which isbest shown in FIGS. 9 through 21.

As set forth hereinbefore, the apparatus includes a sheet bendingstation 32 to which a sheet at a very high temperature is moved forbending or curving thereof. In addition, adjacent the bending station isdisposed a blasthead 33 for impinging fluid on the bent or curved sheetsfor cooling, annealing or tempering the sheets. There is disclosed at 41a unitary means for moving a sheet from the bending station 32 to theblasthead 33 while simultaneously moving the sheet out of the blasthead33 where it is received by the'conveyor 42.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, the unitarymeans 41 includes afirst frame means 102 for moving a sheet from the bending station 32 tothe blasthead 33 and a second frame means 103 for moving a sheet out ofthe blasthead 33 as a sheet is moved into the blasthead by the firstframe means 102. The first and second frame means 102 and 103 arerigidly connected together by the studs or bolts 104. The first framemeans 102 is an endless loop for engaging the periphery of a sheet ofglass of a particular shape. The first frame means 102 may however takedifferent shapes depending upon the glass sheet to be treated;therefore, various different first frame means 102 may be connected tothe second frame means 103 by the studs 104.

As alluded to hereinbefore, the bending station includes a gas supportbed or surface 105 having passages 106 therein for supplying gases tothe surface 105 for supporting a sheet of glass on the gases. In thepreferred embodiment hot gases are supplied through the passages 106 forheating the sheet. This prevents the sheet from cooling and maintainsthe sheet at a sufficiently high temperature to obtain an appropriatetemper in the blasthead. The bed 105 in the bending station includes afirst recess means or groove 107 for allowing the firstframe means 102to be moved to a recessed position below the surface. It is to beunderstood that the recess means may be about the periphery of the bed105 instead of within its periphery as illustrated.

The blasthead 33 includes upper and lower modules 108 and 109respectively for impinging gases against opposite surfaces of a sheetdisposed between the modules in the blasthead so that the sheet may becooled, annealed or tempered. There is included a second recess means110 which is shown shaded in FIG. 14, in the lower module 109 forreceiving a portion of the second frame means 103 for allowing thesecond frame means to be recessed in the lower module 109 when the firstframe means 102 is in its recessed position.

The second frame means 103 includes a pair of spaced beams 111 disposedalong opposite sides of the lower module 109.'A pair of parallel arms112 are attached to each beam and extend toward the opposite beam asbest illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13. A finger 113 extends upwardly fromthe distal end of each arm 112 for engaging a sheet of glass asillustrated in FIG. 12.

At this point the movement of the first and second frame means will besummarized for the purpose of clarity. As alluded to hereinbefore,normally a forming surface means 39 is employed and a sheet of glass ismoved over the recessed first frame means 102 in the bending station.Operating means then moves both the first and second frame means 102 and103 upwardly from the recessed positions so that the first frame means102 lifts the sheet of glass from the gas support surface 105 in thebending station 32 and presses the sheet of glass against the formingsurface means or mold 39. While this is being accomplished the fingers113 of the second frame means 103 move upwardly from the recess positionand engage a sheet of glass (as illustrated in FIG. 12) to remove thesheet of glass from the oscillating means 43, which will be morespecifically described hereinafter. Once the frame means 102 and 103 arein this raised position, the operating means then moves both the firstand second frame means 102 and 103 laterally or generally horizontallyso that the sheet of glass on the first frame means 102 moves into theblasthead in the space between the upper and lower modules 108 and 109.At the same time, the sheet of .glass disposed on the fingers 113 of thesecond frame means 103 moves out of the blasthead to the right asillustrated in FIG. 1 where the sheet of glass is removed from thefingers 113 by the conveyor 42.

The operating means, which is best illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19, movesthe first and second frame means 102 and 103 upwardly from therespective recessed positions for engaging respective sheets and movesthe first and second frame means laterally to move the first frame means102 from the bending station into the blasthead while simultaneouslymoving the second frame means 103 out of the blasthead. Morespecifically, the operating means includes a vertical guide meansgenerally shown at 114 attached to the blasthead for vertical movementrelative thereto and horizontal guide means generally indicated at 115attached to the vertical guide means 114 for horizontal movementrelative thereto. There is also included connecting means including themembers 116 and 117 for attaching the first and second frame means 102and 103 to the horizontal guide means 115 for movement therewith. Theoperating means also includes a vertical drive means, generallyindicated at 118 in FIGS. 15a and 20, which is operatively connected tothe vertical guide means 114 for moving the first and second frame means102 and 103 vertically. In addition, there is included horizontal drivemeans generally indicated at 119 in FIG. 20 and operatively connected tothe horizontal guide means for moving the first and second frame means102 and 103 horizontally. It is a very important feature that the sheetof glass remains on the first frame means while being curved and untilmoved into the blasthead and cooled sufficiently that it will not changeshape. This allows a sheet to be heated to a very high temperature forcurving yet maintains the shape to very close tolerancesuntil it iscooled thereby producing successive sheets having almost exactlyidentical shapes.

The vertical guide means includes a pair of vertical elongated supportbeams 120 attached to the vertical structural beams 121 oneach side ofthe blasthead. That is to say, there are a pair of such verticalelongated support means 120 on each side of the blasthead. A verticallymovable beam 122 is operatively connected to each of the verticalsupport beams 120 through a plurality of roller assemblies 124 and 125,as best illustrated in FIG. 119. The roller assemblies 124 and 125 aredisposed in opposite directions to prevent transverse movements of thevertically movable beams 122 relative to the vertical support beams 120.Thus, the vertically movable beams 122 may move vertically relative tothe vertical support beams 120 upon actuation of the vertical drivemeans 118.

The horizontal guide means 115 includes a horizontal elongated supportbeam 126 attached to each pair of the vertically movable beams 122 oneach side of the blasthead 33. There is also included a horizontallymovable beam 127 operatively connected to each of the horizontal supportbeams 126 through a plurality of rollers 128 and 129 so that thehorizontally movable beams 127 may move horizontally relative to thehorizontal support beams 126 upon actuation of the horizontal drivemeans 119. It will be noted that the connecting means comprising themembers 116 and 117 attaches the first and second frame means 102 and103 to the horizontal movable beams 127.

Referring now more specifically to the horizontal drive means 119, thereis included a rack 130 operatively connected through the plates 130 toeach of the horizontally movable beams 127. The plates 130 are bolted orotherwise attached to the beams 127. In addition, there is also includeda drive gear 131 engaging each of the racks 130 for moving the latter.First and second shafts 132 are respectively rotatably supported bybrackets 133 and support and rotate the drive gears 131. A firstsprocket 134 is connected to the first shaft 132 for rotating thelatter. A third shaft 135 is rotatably supported by brackets adjacentthe second shaft 132 as viewed in FIG. 20. A pair of intermediate gears136 and 137 are respectively connected to the third and second shafts135 and 132 and are in in driving engagement with one another. A secondsprocket 138 is connected to the third shaft 135 and an endless loopchain means 139 is disposed or entrained in driving engagement about thesprockets 134 and 138.

The chain means 139 is reciprocated by a crank 140 and an arm 141. Thearm 141 is attached to the chain means 139 at one end 142 and isattached to the crank 140 at the other end 143. There is also includedmeans including the gear 144, the gear 145, the gear box 146, and themotor 147 for selectively rotating the crank 140 whereby thehorizontally movable beams 127 are moved horizontally to move the firstand second frame means laterally or horizontally. It will be noted asillustrated in FIG. 21 that the drive gears 131 are elongated so thatthey remain in meshing engagement with the racks 130 as the racks 130are moved vertically by the vertical drive means.

Turning now to the vertical drive means 118, there is included ahorizontally extending shaft 148 rotatably supported on each side of theblasthead 33 by the brackets 149. An input sprocket 150 is secured toeach of the shafts 148. A second endless loop chain means 151 isdisposed about or entrained about the input sprockets 150. In thisassembly, there is also included another or second crank 152 which isrotated by a motor 153 through a gear reduction box 154. Another orsecond arm 155 is connected at one end 156 to the chain means 151 and atthe other end 157 to the crank 152. Thus, as the motor 153 is actuatedthe arm 155 is reciprocated to oscillate the loop chain means 151.

A pair of lift sprockets 158 is secured to each of the shafts 148. Thereis also included a coacting lift sprocket 159 associated with each ofthe lift sprockets 158 and rotatably supported on the blasthead by thebrackets 160. Each coacting lift sprocket 159 is disposed in verticallyspaced relationship to the associated lift sprocket 158. A chain 161 isentrained about each lift sprocket 158 and its associated coacting liftsprocket 159. There is included means comprising the brackets 162interconnecting the vertically movable beams 122 and the chains 161, itbeing noted that the brackets 162 are attached to corresponding reachesof the chains 16]. In other words, each chain 161 is an endless loopdisposed in parallel relationship to the other chain and both chains aredriven in the same direction at the same time since the sprockets 158are rotated in unison in the same direction at the same time. Thus,corresponding reaches of the respective chains 161 are moving in thesame direction at the same time and, therefore, the brackets 162 areattached to corresponding reaches of the chains 161.

Thus, it will be understood that upon actuation of the motor 153, theshafts 148 will rotate to move the chains 161 which will in turnvertically move the vertically movable beams 122 to vertically move thebeams 126 and 127; thus, resulting in vertical movement of the first andsecond frames 102 and 103.

Another important aspect, is that each of the racks 130 is connected toits associated horizontally movable beam 127 through a lost motionconnection as defined by the slots 163 in FIG. 19. This lost motionconnection allows the horizontally movable beams 127 to move betweenfirst and second positions relative to the racks 130. In other words,the bolts or screws 164 extend through the slots 163 in the plates 130'and engage the racks 130 but are slidable along the slots 163. A biasingmeans comprising the springs 165 react between the racks 130, by beingattached to one of the bolts 164, and the horizontally movable beams127, by being attached to the extension 166, for urging the horizontallymovable beams and the racks to the first position as illustrated in FIG.19. The strength of the springs 165, however, is sufficient that thehorizontally movable beams 127 will move with the racks 130 uponrotation of the drive gears 131. The assembly also includes meansoperatively coacting with the horizontally movable beams 127 foroscillating the latter by moving the horizontally movable beams 127relative to the racks 130 and against the biasing action of the springs165, such means being the offset cams 167. Plates 168 are supported bythe members 116 and are engaged by the offset cams 167 when the firstframe means 102 is disposed in the blasthead 33. The offset cams 167 arein reality eccentric cams which engage the plates 168 to move the framesagainst the biasing action of the springs 165; thus, oscillating thehorizontally movable beams 127 independently of movement of the racks130. The rotation of the offset cams 167 will be explained more fullyhereinafter in connection with the description of the oscillating meansin the blasthead.

In accordance with the foregoing description, therefore, a sheet ofglass may be lifted vertically upward from the gas support surface 105in the bending station and then move horizontally into the blastheadbetween the upper and lower modules 108 and 109 by the first frame means102 and thereafter oscillated in the blasthead'while on the first framemeans 102 due to the fact that the horizontally movable beams 127 mayoscillate independently of movement of the racks 130, all of this whileanother sheet is simultaneously lifted from the oscillating means andmoved from the blasthead while supported on the fingers 113 of thesecond frame means 103.

In summation of the operation of the unitary frame means, an appropriatesensing means is utilized in the bending station to sense when a sheetof glass is supported on the bed 105 above the first frame means 102 toactuate the motor 153. Upon actuation of the motor 153 the shafts 148are rotated which results in upward movement of the vertically movablebeams 122. The

' horizontally movable beams 127 are operatively con-

1. An apparatus for bending a sheet of material comprising: a support structure, a sheet bending station including at least one forming surface means, a blasthead disposed adjacent said bending Station for impinging fluid on sheets, frame means for pressing a sheet vertically upward against said forming surface means to bend the sheet, and lift means for raising said forming surface means after a sheet has been pressed thereagainst to allow said frame means to move generally horizontally away and into said blasthead, at least one support beam connected to said forming surface means adjacent one end thereof and extending generally horizontally to a second end, said second end being operatively connected to said support structure for pivotal movement relative thereto, said lift means being operatively connected to and extending generally upwardly from said forming surface means and being operatively connected to said support structure.
 1. An apparatus for bending a sheet of material comprising: a support structure, a sheet bending station including at least one forming surface means, a blasthead disposed adjacent said bending Station for impinging fluid on sheets, frame means for pressing a sheet vertically upward against said forming surface means to bend the sheet, and lift means for raising said forming surface means after a sheet has been pressed thereagainst to allow said frame means to move generally horizontally away and into said blasthead, at least one support beam connected to said forming surface means adjacent one end thereof and extending generally horizontally to a second end, said second end being operatively connected to said support structure for pivotal movement relative thereto, said lift means being operatively connected to and extending generally upwardly from said forming surface means and being operatively connected to said support structure.
 2. An apparatus for bending a sheet of material including at least one forming surface means, heating means establishing a heated environment about said forming surface means, frame means for pressing a sheet against said forming surface means to bend the sheet, a support structure, at least one beam supporting said forming surface means adjacent a first end thereof and extending generally horizontally away from said forming surface means to a second end thereof, said beam extending from said forming surface means exteriorly of said heated environment to said second end thereof, and adjustment means for adjusting the position of said forming surface means in any direction, said adjustment means including first and second means operatively interconnecting said second end of said beam and said support structure for respectively changing the vertical and horizontal positions of said forming surface means.
 3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including a pair of said spaced support beams.
 4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 including third means connected to and extending generally upwardly from said forming surface means and operatively connected to said support structure.
 5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 including lift means interconnecting said third means and said support structure for selectively raising said forming surface means.
 6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein each support beam is rotatably supported on a generally horizontal stub shaft and including means to adjust the position of said support beams axially of said stub shafts, at least a portion of said first and second means interconnecting said stub shafts and said support structure so that the vertical position of said stub shafts may be adjusted in a direction which is perpendicular to the axis of said stub shafts.
 7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said first and second means include a compound interconnecting each stub shaft and said support structure, each compound including a horizontally movable member and a first lead screw operatively coacting therewith, and a vertically movable member and a second lead screw operatively coacting therewith.
 8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein each stub shaft is connected to one of said support beams through a spherical bearing which allows each beam to move angularly relative to the axis of the associated stub shaft.
 9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said third means includes a triangular shaped member having one apex thereof operatively connected to said forming surface means and the other two apexes thereof operatively connected to said support structure.
 10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein each apex is operatively connected through a spherical bearing.
 11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said first means includes means for changing the vertical position of said triangular shaped member.
 12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said lift means interconnects said triangular shaped member and said support structure for selectively raising said forming surface means.
 13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said lift means includes a lift shaft rotatably supported on said support structure, a pair Of lift arms extending from said shaft and operatively connected to said two apexes respectively, and means for selectively rotating said lift shaft.
 14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said means for rotating said lift shaft includes a lever connected to said lift shaft for rotating the latter, a fluid actuated cylinder-piston supported on said support structure with said piston being operatively connected to said lever for vertically moving said forming surface means between raised and lowered positions.
 15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14 including an adjustable stop means disposed on said support structure to engage said lever to limit movement thereof and for changing the vertical position of said forming surface means when in said lowered position.
 16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 15 including biasing means reacting between said support structure and said lever to urge said forming surface means to said lowered position. 